材料科学与工程是一个跨学科领域，致力于工程应用中材料的结构，加工和特性关系。应用化学和物理的基本原理可以理解材料的结构以及结构决定其性能的方式。然后应用科学的处理方法来产生必要的属性，然后可以将其与现代技术集成在一起并设计为适应现代技术的需求。材料的进步使许多领域的技术进步。从历史上看，材料和技术之间的联系是如此紧密，以致文明的主要时期都以那个时代使用的主要材料（例如，青铜时代，铁器时代）来命名。在过去的几十年中，交通，通信，电子，能源和环境等各个领域取得进展的核心是材料方面的重大进步。材料科学和工程学是
Materials science and engineering is an interdisciplinary field that addresses the structure, processing, and property relationships in materials for engineering applications. Basic principles of chemistry and physics are applied to provide an understanding of the structure of materials and the manner in which the structure determines the properties. Scientific processing methods are then applied to yield the necessary properties, which then can be integrated with, and designed to accommodate the needs of, modern technology. Advances in materials enable technological progress in many fields. Historically, this connection between materials and technology has been so intimate that major periods in civilization have been named after the dominant material used in that era (e.g., Bronze Age, Iron Age). In the past few decades, at the core of the progress in such diverse fields as transportation, communication, electronics, energy and environment are significant advances in materials. Materials science and engineering is a broad and growing discipline.<br><br>The Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering Option (NME) Option Program offers a discipline-tailored option in nanoscience and molecular engineering to a variety of majors in departments of the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences. It introduces students to nanoscale principles in molecular engineering, provides hands-on experience and stresses the interdisciplinary nature of this field.